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ACC’S 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). Materials may not be reproduced without the consent of ACC.
Reprint permission requests should be directed to Julienne Bramesco at ACC: 202/293-4103, ext. 338; bramesco@acca.com
005 Best of ACC Chapters Protecting Your Company from Ethical Disasters Christopher W. Ekren Vice President, Group Counsel Sony Electronics Inc. Daniel S. Hapke Legal Counsel San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Inc. Steven W. Spector Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. James A. Spencer Corporate Counsel, Director of Ethics & Preventive Law Jack in the Box Inc. Dennis J. Stryker General Counsel Rick Engineering Company Michael C. Tierney Senior Commercial Counsel Sempra Energy
Faculty Biographies
Christopher W. Ekren Christopher W. Ekren is vice president and group counsel at Sony Electronics Inc. in San Diego, California. His team's responsibilities include supporting the legal needs of the company's corporate marketing, new business development, personal computer/information technology, business sales, retail, and wireless divisions. Prior to joining Sony, Mr. Ekren practiced corporate and technology law with Heller Ehrman (Silicon Valley) and Hughes and Luce (Dallas). Mr. Ekren is the incoming chair of the ACC's Intellectual Property Committee and the incoming president of ACC's San Diego Chapter. Mr. Ekren received a B.A. from Rice University and is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. Daniel S. Hapke Daniel S. Hapke, Jr. is legal counsel for San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Inc. Mr. Hapke served three years on active duty in the U.S. Navy as a line officer on sea duty. After a stint with a law firm, he began a career practicing law, in-house, in three major corporations: Sverdrup Corporation, then one of the ten largest engineering/architecture firms in the U.S and now part of Jacobs Engineering Group of Pasadena, California, General Dynamics Corporation which is one of the world's largest defense contractors, now based in Falls Church, Virginia, and Cordant Technologies Inc., a Fortune 600 manufacturer of commercial aerospace and automotive components based in Salt Lake City and now part of Alcoa. Mr. Hapke was senior vice president and general counsel. As an in-house generalist Mr. Hapke has experience in most of the substantive areas of the law affecting the above companies as well as compliance programs, business ethics programs, and legal best practices. Mr. Hapke was founding president of ACC's St. Louis Chapter. Previously, Mr. Hapke served on ACC's national board of directors and he chaired that board. Currently, Mr. Hapke sits on the boards of San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Inc., San Diego Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse-advisory board, and ACC's San Diego Chapter. Mr. Hapke holds B.S. and J.D. from St. Louis University.
Steven W. Spector Steven W. Spector, is senior vice president, general counsel, and secretary of Arena Pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Arena, Mr. Spector was a partner with the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. Immediately before leaving Morgan Lewis, Mr. Spector was a member of Morgan Lewis' technology steering committee and his practice focused on representing companies in corporate and securities matters. Mr. Spector also worked as a member of the ligitation department. Mr. Spector holds a B.A. and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. James A. Spencer James A. Spencer joined Jack in the Box in San Diego for the specific purpose of developing and administering the new business ethics program. Mr. Spencer was engaged in the private, general practice of law for 25 years prior to joining Jack in the Box, with the last seven years of that time as an adjunct faculty member at California Western School of Law and Thomas Jefferson School of Law, both in San Diego. He was also active on the MCLE lecture circuit throughout the United States. He is a member of the Ethics Officer Association, and the American, Kansas, and California bar associations. Spencer earned his B.B.A. degree from Washburn University of Topeka and his J.D. from Washburn University School of Law. Dennis J. Stryker Dennis J. Stryker is the general counsel for Rick Engineering Company. His department is responsible for all legal aspects of the corporation and its subsidiaries, including business and commercial transactions, litigation, employment and labor issues, and professional liability issues. He also acts as the corporation's risk manager. Prior to this he was part of the Fisher-Thurber (formerly Long, Fisher & Miller) law firm. At that firm he provided litigation and transactional services, concerning public and private securities and finance, corporate governance and formation, and commercial lending issues to business clients in California and New York. He is currently on the steering committee (governing body) of the California Minority Counsel Program, the Corporate Pro Bono advisory board, and the board of directors of the San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program. He currently serves on ACC's national Board of Directors, and previously served on ACC's San Diego Chapter board of directors, the San Diego host committee for the ABA's 2001 mid-year meeting and the San Diego host committee for the ABA's 2001 mid-year Pro Bono Equal Justice Conference. Mr. Stryker received a B.A. from Siena College, a J.D. from California Western School of Law, and his L.L.M. from the University of San Diego School of Law.
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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Michael C. Tierney Michael C. Tierney is a senior commercial counsel with Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based Fortune 300 international energy company. Since joining the law department of Sempra Energy's predecessor, Mr. Tierney has represented Sempra Energy companies on a variety of energy related regulatory, legislative, and contractual matters, including numerous appearances before state and federal regulatory agencies and courts. Prior to joining Sempra Energy, Mr. Tierney was an associate in the Washington, DC offices of Reid & Priest and Chadbourne & Parke. Mr. Tierney is a member of the bar associations of California, Colorado, and the District of Columbia. In addition, he is a member of ACC's Board of Directors, the immediate past chair of the ACC Leadership Development Institute, a past chair of the ACC's Energy Law Committee, and a past-president of the ACC's San Diego Chapter (where he also serves as a member of the San Diego Chapter board of directors). Mr. Tierney has been a contributing author to a number of publications. Mr. Tierney received his B.A. from Tulane University and his J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law.
ACC Annual Meeting, October 2005
Session 005 ** Best of ACC Chapters*
PROTECTING YOUR COMPANY FROM ETHICAL DISASTERS
I. Introduction of topic and panelists from the San Diego Chapter:
Dan Hapke, San Diego Habitat for Humanity, Inc. moderator
Chris Ekren, Sony Electronics Steve Spector, Arena Pharmaceuticals Jim Spencer, Jack in the Box Dennis Stryker, Rick Engineering Mike Tierney, Sempra Energy
II. Making the business case for investing company resources in an ethics program :
A. An April 2003 poll by ACC and NACD posed this question: “What would most improve corporate governance?”
82 % of general counsel and 70 % of corporate directors responded: “Senior management creates an ethical Business culture.” 8 % of respondents said: “Robust compliance program”
B. While compliance programs are still very valuable, in-house counsel have come to realize that compliance programs are only as effective as their foundation. That foundation must be an ethical business culture that motivates the expenditure of energy, resources and time on the requirements of the compliance program.
C. It is worth spending some time distinguishing business ethics from the concept of law. Lord Moulton discussed ethics in terms of shared values and obedience to standards that are otherwise unenforceable. By their very nature an ethics program is “values based” and a compliance program is “rules based”.
D. What is an ethical business culture? It is rooted in five values:
1. Honest—Transparent and accurate interpretation, not snowed under by details 2. Responsible—Loyal, but sometimes the loyal opposition
3. Respectful—Sensitive to diversity, but, also insists on conformity to high standards
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 3
4. Fair—Treats everyone equally, but, rewards exemplary work
5. Compassionate—Makes exceptions for genuine hardship, but, with tough love when it is called for
E. Bottom line: As ethics drain from our culture (be it community, nation or business) the law will surge into the void.
III. Legal underpinnings and advantages of an effective corporate ethics program:
A. Federal Sentencing Guidelines (1991) The May 2005 ACC Docket included this article: “The Disturbing Changes in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.”
B. Federal and state Supreme Court cases regarding sexual harassment defenses
C. Sarbanes Oxley (2002)
IV. Creating or reinvigorating your company’s business ethics program:
A. Does the company need a full time ethics director?
B. Where should the ethics program “live”? 1. Stand-alone dept. 2. Within Law Dept. 3. Reporting to whom a. General Counsel b. CEO c. Audit Committee
C. Role of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Function 1. Identify & Communicate Risks 2. Establish Policies 3. Educate 4. Execute 5. Monitor 6. Assess 7. Report
D. The Corporate Compliance Dept. is not a replacement for line management’s compliance accountability
“We act with integrity, honesty, and respect.”
E. Ethics training and periodic updates for the workforce 1. Seminar sessions
2. Computer based training Developing Standards of conduct: a. off-the-shelf programs i. examples ii. pros/cons
b. customized programs i. state mandated ii. federal mandated
iii. pros/cons
V. Help, information and allegations of misconduct:
A. Explanations of standards and advice on their application to specific situations
1. What are the Company’s Core Values and the key laws and regulations governing the business(es) of the organization? 2. Use “real world” examples from the Company’s perspective to help explain the standards 3. Make sure all understand that the ethics code won’t cover every possible situation specifically—but it should outline the preferred behavior in the typical situations the organization might encounter 4. Training should help employees understand how to apply the standards in most situations and provide an avenue for advice in situations in which an employee has questions
B. Internal investigations 1. What department is responsible for conducting them? 2. Are the people who conduct investigations properly trained? 3. Best Practice: Provide a “manual” for guidance so that each investigation is “by the book”—this will reduce post-investigation accusations about unfairness, confidentiality, thoroughness
C. What to do about anonymous allegations of misconduct?
1. If answering your hotline is an outsourced function, then most of your hotline calls will be anonymous 2. Anonymous calls must be taken seriously. However, many companies use a sliding scale: The more serious the allegation, the more seriously the company takes an anonymous call
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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3. Care must be taken to verify the facts—How many anonymous tips come in each day that are simply acts of revenge? 4. Set up two types of investigations within your system—formal and informal—with criteria for when each will be used 5. If using outside investigative resources, then the results of the investigation can be delivered to the outside consultant and then relayed to the complaining party
D. Discipline
1. Progressive 2. Flexible 3. Fair—Let the punishment fit the crime 4. Non-discriminatory—every employee is subject to discipline, not just the “rank and file” 5. Confidential
VI. How can you tell if your program is working?
A. The “Ethics Helpline”… 1. The numbers: Hearing about the problems. How many calls should there be?
EOA benchmark: One call per 1000 employees per month, minimum ( 1.2%). Below that level should be a warning that the program is either not being sufficiently communicated or is not reliable to the employees. The higher the number, the stronger the indicator of trust in the program.
2. The nature: Hearing about the “right types” of problems. “You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”
In a values-based program, there is no “right” type of problem. Complaints will run the gamut.
3. The trends: Anonymity; repeat offenses. A tracking system (database) must be utilized to determine whether employees are willing to reveal their identities; to identify troublesome work units/managers/working conditions; to help assure that the right information is being sufficiently communicated to the employees through training or other vehicles; and to assist in taking appropriate steps to prevent recurrence of violations.
B. Follow-up (The internal investigation): 1. Timely… Resolution within 90 days; triage system to assure most critical issues are addressed ASAP. 2. Level of cooperation… An indicator of trust in the process. If employees must be compelled to cooperate in the investigation, there is something else going on.
3. Competent… The investigator must be believable and trustworthy. He/she must be consistent in demeanor and perceived fairness. 4. Confidential… Not necessarily the fact of the investigation, but certainly the subject and content of the investigation. If everyone knows what’s going on, the program won’t work much longer (if it’s working at all!).
C. Discipline: 1. Consistent… Similar situations demand similar disciplinary actions. 2. Fair… The punishment must fit the crime. 3. Confidential… Never (almost never) reveal the fact or the nature of discipline. 4. Non-retaliatory…
If an employee is suffering retaliatory behavior as a result of an ethics complaint (from either management or peers), someone isn’t getting the message!
5. Across the board… Same rules apply to all – no exceptions!
D. Results: 1. Number of calls will increase—“No good deed goes unpunished”
An increase in calls is actually a good thing. Problems are out there – you really want to know about the problem so you can fix it rather than talk about it with another lawyer!
2. Effect on recruitment—Are you the employer of choice? Did someone mention Enron? Employees really do want to work for an ethical company. An effective ethics program is a great recruiting tool. Present and prospective BOD members might just be interested, as well.
3. Retention—Does your company have an ethical culture? Not everyone leaves for more money. More often than not, they leave because they are suffering lousy working conditions and/or their boss is a(n) _____________ (fill in the blank). Since inception of our program, employee turnover has dropped by 50%.
4. Lawsuits—Is there a correlation? Apparently so. Our experience reveals an employee population increase of over 200% since program inception, with a litigation decrease of almost 50% over the same period of time.
E. Sustaining the culture and the ethics program: 1. Performance evaluations—Ethics is everyone’s business.
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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Makes ethics a measurable part of the culture, and allows for annual affirmations required by SOX. It’s also auditable, just in case you want to make Internal Audit happy.
2. Surveys and Exit interviews—Okay, but… . . . they tend to be inconsistent and don’t typically provide terribly reliable feedback.
3. Tone at the top—Your program is not working if the executive team is not on board!
And that support must be vocal, consistent, and frequent.
VII. Questions and Allegations of Misconduct: What are the most common ones and where do they come from?
General categories
A. Behavioral issues
B. Legal compliance
i. Workplace laws
ii. Insider trading
iii. International business laws
iv. Health & Safety
v. Environmental laws
C. Conflicts of Interest
i. Employment related
1. Nepotism
2. Office romance
ii. Purchases of goods and services
1. Employee owns an interest in a vendor
2. Employee gets a kickback
iii. Related party transactions
iv. Gifts and entertaining
D. Corporate opportunities
E. Financial matters
F. Honest and ethical conduct
G. Process inquiries (E.g., why is so and so allowed to do x, but I can’t?)
Employees, ex-Employees, Customers and Regulators
Industry Specific
Size of Company
VIII. Helpful reading and other resources:
A. Complete Guide to Ethics Management: An Ethics Toolkit for Managers, by Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, this guide is located at http://www.managementhelp.org/ethics/ethxgde.htm
B. Corporate Internal Investigations, 1992, An ACCA Press Publication
C. Cordant Technologies: Code of Ethics and Standards of Business Conduct, 1999 (this booklet is available in the ACC Virtual Library)
D. Leading Practices in Codes of Business Conduct and Ethics: What Companies are Doing. Part of an ongoing series of ACCA’s “Best Practices Profiles” SM, August 2003, available online at http://www.acca.com/vl/practiceprofiles.php
E. Compliance and Ethics Leadership Council - Corporate Executive Board (www.celc.executiveboard.com )
“Structures, Roles, and Responsibilities of Compliance and Ethics Organizations A Compendium of Selected Profiles” Benchmarking Research, July 2005
“Compliance Function Reporting Relationships and Responsibilities” October 2004
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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F. Open-Access Same-Time Information System (Formerly Real-Time Information Networks) and Standards of Conduct
Order No. 889, 61 Fed. Reg. 21737, 75 FERC (CCH) ¶61,078 (1996)
Order No. 889-A, 62 Fed. Reg. 12484, 78 FERC (CCH) ¶61,221 (1997)
Order No, 889-B, 62 Fed. Reg. 64715, 81 FERC (CCH) ¶61,253 (1997)
G. Standards of Conduct for Transmission Providers
Order No. 2004, 68 Fed. Reg. 69134, 105 FERC (CCH) ¶61,248 (2003)
Order No. 2004-A, 69 Fed. Reg. 23562, 107 FERC (CCH) ¶61,032 (2004)
Order No. 2004-B, 69 Fed. Reg. 48371, 108 FERC (CCH) ¶61,118 (2004)
Order No. 2004-C, 70 Fed. Reg. 284, 109 FERC (CCH) ¶61,325 (2004)
H. California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) Decisions
D.02-01-037
D.02-01-039
D.99-04-069
D.98-12-075
D.98-08-035
D.97-12-088
R.97-04-011
J. Articles and Periodicals:
1. “Hotline Suit Pits Whistle-Blower, Daimler Chrysler” Wall Street Journal, July 26, 2005
2. “Long Haul Ahead for Boeing’s Chief”, Wall Street Journal, July 1, 2005
3. “How and Why we Lie at the Office: From Pilfered Pens to Padded Accounts”, Wall Street Journal, March 24, 2005
4. Fortune 75, Best Books: Ethics, page 152, March 21, 2005
5. “CEO’s Worst Nightmares”, Wall Street Journal, January 21, 2004
6. “Side Bar: GE Governance Principles”, ACCA Docket May 2003
7. “MCI: Is Being Good Good Enough? Mike Capellas has his plate full cleaning up MCI. That’s just a start.” Fortune October 27, 2003
8. “Ban is lifted on MCI’s Bidding on U.S.Government Contracts”, Wall Street Journal, January 8, 2004
9. “Business Ties: Many Companies Report Transactions with Top Officers”, Wall Street Journal, December 29, 2003 10. “About that Compliance Thing.” A bibliography published in the Nov/Dec 2004 ACC Docket.
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
October 17-19, MarriottWardman Park Hotel
Session 005
Protecting Your Company fromEthical Disasters
Best of ACC ChaptersACC-San Diego
Daniel S. Hapke, ModeratorSan Diego Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
Christopher W. Ekren, PanelistSony Electronics Inc.
Steven W. Spector, PanelistARENA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
James A. Spencer, PanelistJack in the Box Inc.
Dennis J. Stryker, PanelistRick Engineering Company
Michael C. Tierney, PanelistSempra Energy
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Introduction of Panelists and Topics
Making the business case for ethics“What would most improve corporategovernance?”
Programs are only as effective as theirfoundation
Compliance-Based vs. Values-Based programs
The five values of an ethical business culture
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 8
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
October 17-19, MarriottWardman Park Hotel
Protecting Your Company fromEthical Disasters
Legal Underpinnings and Advantages of anEffective Ethics Program
Christopher W. Ekren Sony Electronics Inc.
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Legal Underpinnings and Advantages of anEffective Ethics Program
Federal Sentencing Guidelines
Federal and state supreme court casesregarding sexual harassment defenses
Sarbanes Oxley
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 9
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
October 17-19, MarriottWardman Park Hotel
Protecting Your Company fromEthical Disasters
Creating or Reinvigorating Your Company’sBusiness Ethics Program
Michael C. Tierney Sempra Energy
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Creating or Reinvigorating Your Company’sBusiness Ethics Program
Does the company need a full-time EthicsDirector?Where should the ethics program “live”?
Stand-Alone Department?Within Law Department or Elsewhere?Reporting to Whom?
General CounselCEOAudit Committee
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 10
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Creating or Reinvigorating Your Company’sBusiness Ethics Program
The role of Corporate Compliance & EthicsFunction
Identify & Communicate RisksEstablish PoliciesEducateExecuteMonitorAssessReport
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Creating or Reinvigorating Your Company’sBusiness Ethics Program
Ethics Training & Periodic Employee UpdatesSeminar SessionsComputer Based Training Developing Standardsof Conduct
Off-the-Shelf Programs– Examples– Pros/Cons
Customized Programs– State/Federal Mandated– Pros/Cons
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 11
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
October 17-19, MarriottWardman Park Hotel
Protecting Your Company fromEthical Disasters
Information & Allegations of Misconduct
Dennis StrykerRick Engineering Company
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Information & Allegations of Misconduct
Standards and their Application to SpecificSituations
What governs your organization?
The ethics code – and its limitations
Training
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Information & Allegations of Misconduct
Internal InvestigationsWho is responsible for the investigation?
Who is training the investigators?
Investigation guidelines
“Formal” or “Informal” investigation?
Outside investigator?
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Information & Allegations of Misconduct
Anonymous Allegations of MisconductTake them seriously!
Verification
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Information & Allegations of Misconduct
DisciplineProgressive
Flexible
Fair
Non-Discriminatory
Confidential
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
October 17-19, MarriottWardman Park Hotel
Protecting Your Company fromEthical Disasters
James A. SpencerJack in the Box Inc.
How Can You Tell if Your Program is Working?
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
How Can You Tell if Your Program is Working?(The “Ethics Helpline” . . . and Beyond)
The “Ethics Helpline” . . .The numbers
Hearing about the problems.– How many calls “should” there be?
The natureHearing about the “right types” of problems.
– “You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”
The trendsAnonymity
Repeat offensesACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
How Can You Tell if Your Program is Working?(The “Ethics Helpline” . . . and Beyond)
. . . and BeyondFollow-up (Investigation)
Timely
Level of cooperation
Competent
Confidential
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright © 2005 various authors and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). 15
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
How Can You Tell if Your Program is Working?(The “Ethics Helpline” . . . and Beyond)
. . . and BeyondDiscipline
Consistent
Fair
Confidential
Non-retaliatory
Across the board
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
How Can You Tell if Your Program is Working?(The “Ethics Helpline” . . . and Beyond)
. . . and BeyondResults
Number of calls will increase– “No good deed goes unpunished!”
Recruitment– Are you an “employer of choice”?
Retention– Do you have an “ethical culture”?
Lawsuits– Is there a correlation?
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
How Can You Tell if Your Program is Working?(The “Ethics Helpline” . . . and Beyond)
. . . and BeyondPerformance Evaluations
Ethics is everyone’s business.
Surveys and Exit InterviewsOkay, but . . .
Tone at the TopYour program is not working if the executive teamis not on board!
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage
October 17-19, MarriottWardman Park Hotel
Protecting Your Company fromEthical Disasters
Questions & Allegations of Misconduct –Where Do They Come From?
Steven W. SpectorARENA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Questions & Allegations of Misconduct –Most Common & Where Do They Come From?
Most Common:Behavioral Issues
Legal ComplianceWorkplace Laws
Insider Trading
International Business Laws
Health & Safety
Environmental Laws
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Questions & Allegations of Misconduct –Most Common & Where Do They Come From?
Most Common:Conflicts of Interest
Employment Related– Nepotism– Office Romance
Purchases of Goods & Services– Employee owns an interest in a Vendor– Employee gets a Kickback
Related Party TransactionsGifts & Entertaining
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Questions & Allegations of Misconduct –Most Common & Where Do They Come From?
Most Common:Corporate Opportunities
Financial Matters
Honest & Ethical Conduct
Process Inquiries“Why is Joe allowed to do that, but I can’t?”
ACC’s 2005 Annual Meeting: Legal Underdog to CorporateSuperhero—Using Compliance for a Competitive Advantage October 17-19, Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
Questions & Allegations of Misconduct –Most Common & Where Do They Come From?
Where do they come from?Employees, ex-Employees, Customers,Regulators
Industry Specific
Size of Company
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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table of contentsIntroduction
A Message from ManagementThe Jack in the Box® Ethics Policy
Jack’s Comment
About Jack’s Ethics ProgramOur Guests
Food Safety
Treat our Guests Right
Our Vendors
Our Competitors
Our CommunityAnti-trust
Copyrights
Drug Use & Possession
Environmental Protection
Equal Employment Opportunity
Insider Trading
Political Influence
Taxation
Each OtherConflict of Interest
Performance
Protection of Company Assets
Working Off the Clock
Political Activity
Safety
Harassment
Our Franchisees
Using Jack’s Ethics Helpline
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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3
Purpose
JACK IN THE BOX has developedan Ethics Code of Conduct, called“TRUST”. It’s a commitment that all
our employees make to each other – acommitment to treat each other fairly, hon-estly and with care & respect. Many JIBfranchise operators have voluntarilyadopted this program and are fully commit-ted to treating their employees withfairness, honesty, and care and respect.Throughout this booklet, whenever theterm “employee” or “JIB employee” is used,it applies not only to JIB corporate employ-ees, but also to those JIB franchiseemployees whose employer has a adoptedthis program. Likewise, the terms “JIB” and“Company” apply not only to Jack in theBox Inc., but also to those franchise own-ers and operators who have adopted thisprogram.
The concept of “ethical behavior” is hard todefine. But, all of us know it when we seeit, and we know it when we don’t. We’d allagree that ethical behavior is fair, honest,proper, legal and demonstrates respect forothers. In other words, ethical behaviormeans doing “what’s right.” But, someissues aren’t simply black or white, so fig-uring out what’s right can take a lot ofthought.
Policy“TRUST” spells out for ALL employees –from every board member to the newesthire – what the “right thing” is in several sit-uations. It assists employees to makeethical decisions in such areas as:
• food safety• guest services• personal illness or injury• conflict of interest• safety
Ethical decisions early on can preventminor concerns from becoming big prob-lems. Doing the right thing reduces the riskof ethical mistakes and makes your joband everyone else’s job more secure.
Whenever an employee is facing a toughdecision in an area that has not been cov-ered in “TRUST”, the Ethics Helpline canget the answers you need (refer to theEthics Helpline section).
The Jack in the Box Board of Directors,corporate officers, and franchise operatorsare committed to every aspect of "TRUST”.Management has pledged to maintain thesame high standards of ethical behaviorand conduct their jobs with integrity.
Your employer wants every decision to beone that the employee can be proud of,feel good about and perceive as fair,honest and legal.
i n t ro d u c t i o n
We value ethical behavior. All ofour company values are aboutdoing the right thing. Our values
are all about the trust each of us has in ourguests, our vendors, our communities, our-selves and even in our competitors. Theyare about the trust those folks place in us,individually and as a company, to do theright thing. We, the Board of Directors, theofficers, and employees of Jack in the Box,along with our franchise operators, are allpledging to maintain the high standards ofethical behavior by doing our jobs withintegrity.
Things are happening fast at Jack in theBox. With growth, more pressure is put onus all to do more; sometimes to do morewith less, and to do more in less time. Weare very sensitive to that and are awarethat those pressures can tempt anyone to
cut corners or make decisions they wouldnot otherwise make.
We know that trust has to be earned. Thatis why Jack's Ethics Program has beenestablished to help us deal with those diffi-cult decisions that are certainly going toconfront us. The primary function of Jack'sEthics Program is to help all of us makethe right decisions on how to behave ethi-cally. This booklet is intended to be a guideon many of the issues we face. We wanteveryone to be comfortable with the prac-tice of bringing issues to the attention oftheir supervisors, including us. It is ourassurance to all of you that when you uti-lize the Program, you will do so with nothreat of retribution from anyone else in thecompany. Together, we will maintain thehighest business ethical standards, whichhave become our reputation.
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message from management
Robert J. Nugent Lawrence E. SchaufChairman of the Board Executive Vice President &
Ethics Compliance Officer
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Jack in the Box (JIB) has a corporateresponsibility to our guests, share-holders, the community, and
ourselves. It is in the spirit of that responsi-bility that this Code of Conduct (Code) is setforth. It is the intent of the Directors andOfficers of JIB that this Code applies equallyto the Board of Directors, officers, andemployees of JIB. It is also the intent of fran-chise operators who have voluntarilyadopted this program that this Code appliesequally to the franchise operator and all ofhis or her employees. No waiver of thisCode or any part thereof for any Director,officer, or employee shall be permitted.
Every individual is expected to conduct ourbusiness in compliance with all laws andregulations while maintaining the highestethical standards.
This Code is authori zed by the Board ofDirectors and the Chief Exe c u t i ve Officer(CEO) of JIB, along with its franchise opera-t o r s, and requires the disclosure of anycircumstance that may violate JIB policy. I te s t a blishes that eve ry JIB employee mu s tcomply with the letter and spirit of this Codeand other policies and procedures of JIB. I tf u rther establishes the responsibility of eve ryJIB employee to report any violation, or sus-pected violation, of this Code or any other
JIB policy, to one's management or to theEthics Helpline.
Conflicts of InterestConflicts of interest arise when there iso p p o rtunity fo r, or appearance of, personalgain apart from the normal rewards ofe m p l oy m e n t . To avoid a conflict of interest, orthe appearance of a conflict of interest, thefo l l owing guidelines should be kept in mind:
1. The use of JIB funds or resources tosupport or influence a political initiativeor referendum without proper authoriza-tion or to support a political party orcandidate is prohibited.
2. Any financial transaction, service orother arrangement that places personalinterests and those of JIB in oppositionwith each other must be avoided.
3. Anyone who buys or sells goods or serv-ices, or who influences such buying andselling in any way, must maintain thehighest standards of ethical conduct. Anyinformation that is proprietary either toJIB or a supplier carries an obligation toassure confidentiality.
4. All employees, management, and boardmembers must avoid any activity, invest-ment, interest or association which
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jack in the box ethics policy
General Standards and Purpose of Ethical Conduct compromises, or which might appear tocompromise, the independent exercise ofjudgment and the performance of work inthe best interests of JIB, its sharehold-ers, and the public.
5. Board members, employees, and mem-bers of their immediate families shall notknowingly have any direct or indirectfinancial interest in:
a . a ny franchise or franchisee of Ja ck inthe Box, Qdoba, JBX Grill or Quick S t u f f,
b. any transaction, including any com-pany loan, or guarantees ofobligations, to which Jack in the Box isa party (other than as a retail cus-tomer, in performing their duties as anemployee or Board member, or as aparticipant in JIB benefit programs),
c. any transaction with a corporation,partnership, or other entity, with whichJIB is doing business (other than as aretail customer or as an investor inpublicly traded securities),
d. property which JIB is acquiring.
Corporate OpportunitiesEmployees, officers and directors are pro-hibited from:
(a) taking for themselves opportunities thatare discovered through the useof corporate property, information,or position;
(b) using corporate property, information,or position for personal gain; and
(c) competing with Jack in the Box.
Employees, officers and directors owe aduty to JIB to advance the legitimate inter-ests of Jack in the Box when theopportunity to do so arises.
Gifts, gratuities, donations, and entertain-ment can be a legitimate business activity.Soliciting gifts or donations from any ven-dor, customer, government official oremployee, or offering gifts to any vendor,customer, government official or employee,as a condition of doing business, is prohib-ited. Any employee receiving a gift, gratuity,or entertainment valued in excess of$150.00 must report in writing, to his orher supervisor, the nature and value ofsuch gift, gratuity, or entertainment.Acceptance of a cash gift is never appro-priate at any time.
ConfidentialityEmployees, officers and directors shallmaintain the confidentiality of informationentrusted to them by JIB or its vendors andcustomers, except when disclosure isauthorized or legally required. Confidentialinformation includes all non-public informa-tion that might be of use to competitors, orharmful to JIB or its vendors or customers,if disclosed.
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Fair DealingAll employees, officers and directors of JIBmust endeavor to deal fairly with JIB’s cus-tomers, suppliers, competitors, and witheach other. No one shall take unfair advan-tage of anyone through manipulation,concealment, abuse of privileged informa-tion, misrepresentation of material facts, orany other unfair-dealing practice.
It is a violation of this Code to:(a) knowingly sign documents that are
inaccurate, untrue or are in violation ofJIB policies and procedures; or to
(b) conceal information from, or give mis-leading information to, anyoneauthorized to receive that informationby management.
Protection of Company AssetsAll employe e s, officers and directors of JIBshall protect the assets of JIB and ensuretheir efficient use. Theft, carelessness andwaste have a direct impact on our profitabil-i t y. All company assets shall be used onlyfor legitimate and allowed purp o s e s.
Compliance with Laws, Rulesand RegulationsAll employe e s, officers and directors shallconduct themselves in compliance with law s,
rules and regulations, including insider tra d-ing law s. Insider trading is both unethical andillegal and will not be tolera t e d .
Reporting of Illegal orUnethical BehaviorThis Code does not include descriptions ofevery type of unethical or illegal conduct orconflicts of interest. The perception of awrongdoing may be as great a concern asan actual wrongdoing. Difficult questions ofjudgment are involved; therefore, it is criticalthat each person exercise judgment in rec-ognizing and resolving potential ethical,legal and/or conflict of interest issues beforeengaging in situations where such issuesmay arise. Violations of this Code, observa-tions of illegal or unethical practices, orconflicts of interest, should be reported toone's supervisor or the Ethics Helplineoperated by the JIB Ethics ProgramDirector.
No individual who reports any such viola-tion in good faith shall be subject toretaliation or retribution of any kind fromanyone in the company.
Any refusal of an employee to cooperatewith an internal investigation into ethical orlegal violations shall be subject to discipli-nary action, up to and includingtermination.
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Whew! That's a bigger mouthfulthan one of my Jumbo Jacks!!What you have just read is the
formal ethics policy of our company. Thelawyers tell me that all those words arenecessary, so there it is, in all of its glory.
And it is important. It's important that youread it; it's important that you understandit; and it's important that you get moreexplanation on those parts you don'tunderstand. A lot of that--more explanationof those parts that tend to be more compli-cated--is what follows in this booklet. We'regoing to talk more about legal issues, butwe're also going to talk about otherresponsibilities that might not be real clearin that formal ethics policy.
Some of those responsibilities have to dowith the workplace and our relationshipswith each other. Things like food safety,personal safety, sexual harassment, dis-crimination, and how we treat ourcustomers. Others have to do with stuff like"anti-trust", insider trading, copyrights andcomputer software, and environmental pro-tection.
It's also important to remember that thisbooklet does not contain all of the policiesand procedures of our company. As otherconcerns and questions come up, pleaseremember to check with your supervisorfor guidance. Jack's Ethics Helpline is alsoavailable for you to call, but more aboutthat in a few minutes.
We've made a real effort to keepthis booklet as short and plain-speaking as possible. Even so,there are topics in here thatmost of us just don't thinkabout very often. Wheneveryou need any clarifica-tion, talk to yoursupervisor or call theJack's Ethics Helpline.
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J a c k ’s comment
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We know that all of us want toalways do the right thing.Sometimes, though, it’s tough
to know just what the right thing is. TheEthics Program can help. Here’s a check-list to ask yourself whenever you areconfronted with a difficult choice. If youcan answer “yes” to all of these questions,your choice is probably the right one. Ifyour answer is “no” or “I don’t know” toany one of these questions, then youshould seek guidancefrom your supervisor orfrom Jack’s EthicsHelpline before makingyour decision.
1. Will my decision belegal?
2. Will my decision befair and honest?
3. Will others view mydecision to be fairand honest?
4. Will I feel good about myselfafterwards?
5. Will my decision comply with the poli-cies and procedures of my company?
6. Have I avoided even the appearanceof impropriety?
If you aren’t sure about a “yes” answer toany of those questions, the EthicsProgram has established a couple ofways you can get help. The first way, ofcourse, is to talk to your supervisor.
He or she will assist you in thinkingthrough the choices to help you come up
with the right thingto do.
If for any reason,though, your super-visor cannot helpyou, or you do notwant to discuss itwith your supervisor,you may callJack’s EthicsHelpline, by calling,toll free, 1-888-613-JACK. We will takeyour call and get
enough information from you to help youresolve the issue.
The goal of the Ethics Program is toreduce the chances of ethical mistakes,without fear of retribution. Whenever youhave a question, concern, complaint, or
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about Jack’s ethics pro g r a mproblem, we want to find out about that asearly as possible. That helps the companyprevent or minimize a potential mistake. Italso helps you and every employee in ourcompany. By reducing the risk of makingethical mistakes, your job and the job ofeveryone else is made more secure.
This Ethics Program is here to provideyou every support possible in helping youto make the best choices possible, and tohelp resolve situations before theybecome major problems. Workingtogether, we will maintain our ethical rep-utation and ensure our mutual success.
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That’s more than a vision, morethan a motto. It’s our way of doingbusiness! The highest trust our
guests place in us is to provide them withsafe food.
Food SafetyTo meet this trust, the following guidelinesmust be observed at all times:
1. Learn and follow food safety prac-tices and procedures.
a. Recognize improper food safetyprocedures and correct yourselfand your co-workers. Don’t cutcorners or allow others to takeshort-cuts, even when at yourbusiest.
b. Support the food safety pro-grams as issued by theCorporate Support Center.
These programs have proven themselvesto be highly effective. As much as any-thing else, the food safety programs notonly protect our guests, they protect ourcompany and our jobs.
2. Use only approved productsreceived from approved vendors.
a. Our distributors have met strin-
gent qualifications to assure onlythe best and safest products forour guests.
3. Deliver safe food to our guests.
a. If you doubt its safety or cleanli-ness, throw it away and re-fill theorder.
4. Do not hide personal illness orinjury.
a. Report every illness and injury, nomatter how minor, to your super-visor immediately.
5. Be forthcoming and truthful withHealth Department officials.
a. Those officials are there to helpall of us. Help them to help us.
6. Complete food safety documentsaccurately and properly.
a. Good record-keeping helps usmonitor the effectiveness of ourfood safety programs and to con-tinuously improve thoseprograms.
b “Pencil-whipping” these forms isclearly unethical behavior.
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our guests trust us to…
…exceed their expectations. … treat our guests rightBeyond assuring the safety and quality ofour food, it is important to treat the guestright. What does that look like?
1. Our guest is treated with courtesyand respect.
a. Every guest must be greetedpromptly.
b. Even when a guest is being diffi-cult, we maintain our courtesy tothem.
c. Personal affairs should never bediscussed with or in the pres-ence of a guest.
2. Our guest is treated fairly andhonestly.
a. We deliver the guest’s orderaccurately.
b. We exercise care in handling theguest’s food and money.
3. We are responsive to our guest’sneeds and concerns.
a. We listen carefully and com-pletely to what the guest issaying and satisfy their needs tothe best of our ability.
4. Our products and services are avail-able equally to all our guests.
a. Discrimination against any guestis absolutely prohibited.
5. We provide our guests with a safe,clean, attractive, and inviting envi-ronment.
a. Everything in our restaurants andthe grounds surrounding themwill be clean, neat, and orderly atall times.
6. We deliver what is advertised.
a. This applies every bit as much toservice as it does product.
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Dependable and loyal vendors arecritical to our business. Vendorsare not only those persons and
firms from whom we buy product, but alsoinclude suppliers, distributors, and con-tractors. While we are their customers,they are also our customers. Our objec-tive with our vendors should always be tonurture a long-lasting and mutually bene-ficial relationship.
For those of us who purchase goodsand/or services for Jack in the Box, or whomight have some influence on those pur-chases, the following guidelines should beobserved:
1. All vendors should be treated fairly.
a. All purchasing decisions are basedonly on objective criteria such asquality, price, availability, anddependability of service.
2. All vendors’ proprietary informationmust be held in confidence.
a. It is not unusual that we will gainaccess to confidential informationfrom vendors, such as pricing poli-cies. We owe a duty to our vendorsnot to reveal that information to
anyone other than those who havea genuine need to know.
3.. Deceptive trading practices are prohib-ited with our vendors.
a. If there are any errors or mis-understandings with our vendor,immediate steps must be taken tocorrect those errors or misunder-standings.
4.. No personal purchases are made fromour vendors.
a. Unless a vendor makes it a practiceto provide discounts and other serv-ices to all of our employees, it isimproper for any one individual totake personal advantage of such.
5.. Except for the allowable limitationsstated in the JIB Ethics Policy nogifts are accepted or solicited from avendor.
a. This includes anything that might beperceived as tending to influenceour purchasing decision, even if theitem would not, in fact, influence ourdecision.
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our vendors trust us to…
…maintain mutually beneficial relationships.
A ll’s fair in love and war, right? No.Not when the “war” is a commer-cial one. In the United States,
all companies owe to all other companiescertain duties to compete fairly andto avoid actions that are “unfair tradepractices” under the law. Jack in the Boxcompetes aggressively, but at all timesfairly. Here’s what we do to accomplishthat:
1. We never make false or deceptivestatements about any of our com-petitors’ products, their financialstatus, or how they conduct theirbusiness.
2. We never say anything about acompetitor with the intent to dam-age their business.
3. We never engage in scare tacticswith our competitors or attempt tocoerce them in any way.
4. We never unfairly interfere with anycontracts our competitors have withtheir vendors, suppliers, distributors,or contractors.
5. We never engage in or cooperate inany false or misleading advertising.
6. We never use our relationships withmutual vendors of our competitors totake unfair advantage of a competitor.
7. We never misrepresent ourselves orour employment with JIB to gainaccess to confidential information ofa competitor.
There are other legal issues that must beobserved that impact our obligations toour competitors, and those are discussedin the next section.
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our competitors trust us to…
…compete fairly.
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S o what’s a community, anyway?Our community is more than theneighborhood where we live. Our
community includes the rest of the town,the county, the state, even the wholecountry. That is certainly true for Jack inthe Box. Our company has an obligationto be a good citizen. We do business inmany states and our primary obligation tothe community is to know and obey thelaws wherever we may be. Just like youand me.
In order to maintain our good corporatecitizenship there are many rules and reg-ulations that we must all be aware of andobey. Here are the ones we want to beparticularly aware of:
Anti-trust
“Anti-trust” is a term used to describe vari-ous laws that assure our markets are freeand that protect businesses and individu-als from unfair or predatory tradepractices. Our state and federal govern-ments are very diligent in the enforcementof anti-trust laws. These laws make it ille-gal for anyone or any company to engagein any activity that restrains free trade.One of the more common things thatwould be in violation of anti-trust laws is
unfair competition, already discussed inthe previous section. Other activities,though, are or can be perceived to beanti-trust violations. Here are someexamples:
1. Price-fixingis any dis-cussionwith a com-petitor orits employ-ees aboutfixingprices at acertain level so that competition isimpaired. No actual agreement isnecessary to be in violation of thelaw!
2. To bribe or take a bribe, which mayinclude money, gifts, favors or prom-ises of any value as a means ofinfluencing someone to do some-thing in violation of legal or ethicalobligations.
3. Allocation of markets with a com-petitor to give or receive an unfaircompetitive advantage.
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our community trusts us to…
…be a good citizen. 4. Conditional purchases, which meansrequiring a vendor or supplier to pur-chase our products as a condition ofbuying from that vendor or supplier.
5. Predatory behavior is any unreason-able interference with a competitor’sbusiness in an attempt to gain ashare of the market.
Of course, there are many other possibili-ties that can cause an anti-trust violation.If you have any concern or doubt as towhether a particular action might be inviolation of anti-trust laws, or evenappears to be in violation, call Jack’sEthics Helpline.
CopyrightsWhen some person or company createsan original work of authorship, the lawgives that person or company the exclu-sive right to copy and distribute that work(a “copyright”). Here are a few examplesof what is protected by the copyright law:
1. Computer software cannot beinstalled on more than one computersystem unless the license agree-ment specifically allows suchinstallation.
2. Newspaper and magazine articlescannot be copied. However, ourcompany has contracted for rights tocopy many publications.
If you have any concern or doubt as towhether a particular action might be inviolation of copyright laws, call Jack’sEthics Helpline.
DrugUse and PossessionorDealingIt is against the law or against Jack in theBox policy to:
1. Sell, purchase, possess or use ille-gal drugs while on the job or on JIBproperty.
2. Sell, purchase, possess or consumealcohol while on or using JIB prop-erty.
3. Be under the influence of alcohol orillegal drugs on the job or on JIBproperty.
Illegal drugs include narcotics, sedatives,depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, orother substances whose possession, use,purchase, or distribution is prohibited orrestricted by law. However, the proper use
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of prescription medication under thesupervision of a physician is permitted.
Environmental ProtectionJack in the Box is committed to exerciseall reasonable care to enhance and pre-serve our environment. Inthis respectJIB shall:
1. Properlydispose ofall liquidand solidwaste andtrash gener-ated by us atany of our facilities.
2. Preserve our natural resources andcomply with all applicable environ-mental laws.
Equal EmploymentOpportunityIt is unlawful or against Jack in the Boxpolicy to discriminate in the employmentof any person on account of characteris-tics such as race, color, religion, sex,pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age,marital status, disability, veterans’ status
or sexual orientation. The same ruleapplies in matters of promotions and dis-cipline. If you have any concern or doubtas to whether a particular action might bein violation of equal employment opportu-nity laws, call Jack’s Ethics Helpline.
Insider TradingEmployees often have information aboutJack in the Box that is not generallyknown to the investing public, and whichcan impact the value of our stock.
1. To protect our shareholders, JIB pro-hibits any employee or boardmember from buying or selling ourcompany stock while in possessionof material, non-public informationabout JIB, or from disclosing suchinformation to another person(including relatives and friends)except when such disclosure is nec-essary to fulfill a business objectiveof JIB.
2. Board members and other employ-ees with such inside information aregenerally permitted to engage intransactions involving JIB securitiesduring a “window” period, which fol-lows the public release of JIB
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quarterly financial results, unlessthey have material, non-public infor-mation at that time.
3. Employees who trade JIB securitiesor exercise stock options based onmaterial informationthat has notbeen madepublic maybe in viola-tion ofinsidertradinglaws.Similarly, anemployee mayincur personal liability if he or sheprovides such inside information toother persons who then trade JIBsecurities.
4. The penalties for insider trading areserious, both for the company andfor the individual. There can be bothcivil and criminal penalties, whichmay include payment of fines andimprisonment.
5. Any employee who feels he or shemay have insider information shouldcall Jack’s Ethics Helpline prior totrading JIB securities.
Political InfluenceThere are proper and legal ways to influ-ence politics that affect our business, andthere are improper and illegal ways. Jackin the Box policy allows only legal andproper methods of political influence. JIBwill not make illegal political contributionsand will not reimburse employees for theirpersonal political contributions, even ifthose contributions are made in the spiritof furthering JIB interests. It is unlawfuland against JIB policy to:
a. Bribe a public official or receive abribe from a public official.
b. Interfere with governmentalfunctions.
c. Intentionally submit incorrect, mis-leading, or fraudulentinformation to apublic official.
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TaxationJack in the Box pays taxes to the local,state, and federal governments. Properand accurate records must be maintainedin order to satisfy this obligation. It isunlawful and against JIB policy to:
a. Evade taxes that are lawfully owedby JIB.
b. Fail to keep records that substanti-ate our obligation to pay taxes.
c. Fail to provide information properly
requested by taxing authorities.
d. Intentionally submit incorrect infor-mation to a government official.
e. Intentionally falsify, destroy or with-hold financial and tax records thatare required by law to be retained.
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T eamwork … Integrity. We couldsay a lot about those two words.Really, what it comes down to is
just doing our jobs the best we can anddealing with each other ethically; in otherwords, let’s treat each other right. Hereare some things to think about:
Conflict of InterestConflict of Interest arises when we doanything, on or off the job, that is againstthe best interests of our company. Anytime our decisions and judgments aboutmatters that affect our company may beinfluenced or impaired by personal orfinancial gain, there is a conflict of inter-est. Remember, even the appearance ofa conflict is a conflict! Here are someexamples of what we might find our-selves involved in that will be a conflictof interest:
1. Giving or accepting a gift may be aconflict of interest. Employees maynot give or accept any gift of valuewhich is or might be given for thepurpose of improperly influencing thenormal business relationshipbetween our company and any of its
suppliers, customers or competitors.This policy does not apply, within thebounds of reasonable discretion andcommon sense, to non-cash itemscommonly exchanged in businessrelationships or sponsorships of char-itable events, up to a value of $150.
2. Conducting JIB business with a rela-tive (any immediate family member,significant other, or other relative,whether by blood or by marriage)may create a conflict of interest andis discouraged. If, for any reason,you anticipate conducting JIB busi-ness with a relative, please reportthis situation to your supervisor.
3. Having a financial interest in acompetitor, vendor, supplier orcontractor to our company, or aJIB corporate employee or boardmember having a financial interestin any franchise operation of JIB,Qdoba, JBX Grill or QuickStuff cre-ates a conflict of interest.
4. Conducting a personal businessventure while on the job is a conflictof interest.
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we trust each other to…
…treat each other right.
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5. Conducting a personal businessventure while off the job, and whichcompetes with Jack in the Box , is aconflict of interest.
PerformanceWe are all expected to perform the dutiesof our jobs competently, safely, efficientlyand honestly. Supervisors are responsibleto evaluate all employees on a regularbasis and those evaluations are meant togive us constructive feedback on how toimprove our performance.
Protection of Company AssetsSometimes, in the performance of ourduties, we are entrusted with the posses-sion and/or use of company assets. It isour obligation to use those assets for thebenefit of the company and for noimproper personal benefit.
Working Off the ClockIt is everyone’s responsibility to maintainan accurate accounting of hours worked.It is illegal and against company policy toallow or require any employee to work “offthe clock”.
Political ActivityJack in the Box supports employees’rights to exercise their individual politicalactivities in a lawful manner.
1. No employee will be coerced in anymanner to contribute to or otherwisesupport any candidate, office holderor ballot proposition.
2. No employee’s job will be jeopard-ized because of their participation ornon-participation in any lawful politi-cal activity.
3. No active campaigning for candi-dates or issues not related to JIBbusiness interests is allowed onJIB property.
Safety
Jack in the Box believes that the personalsafety of its employees is a primaryresponsibility we owe to each other. Allreasonable procedures and equipmentwill be used to achieve safe workingconditions.
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1. All employees must follow safeworking procedures, use appropriatesafety and protective equipment,and always be alert to potentialinjury to themselves and others.
2. All employees must observe facilitysecurity procedures and use allsecurity equipment.
3. All employees are expected to reportto their supervisor any and all condi-tions they believe to be unsafe,insecure, or unhealthy.
4. Any act of violence or verbal orphysical threat of violence will betreated seriously and must bereported immediately to theemployee’s supervisor, their AssetProtection Representative, HumanResources, or Jack’s EthicsHelpline.
Sexual Harassment &Discrimination1. Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment consists ofunwelcome sexual advances, orvisual, verbal, or physical conduct ofa sexual nature when: (1) submissionto such conduct is made eitherexplicitly or implicitly a term or condi-tion of an individual’s employment;(2) submission to or rejection of suchconduct by an individual is used asthe basis for employment decisionsaffecting such individual; or (3) suchconduct has the purpose or affect ofunreasonably interfering with anyindividual’s work performance or cre-ating an intimidating, hostile, oroffensive working environment.
2. DiscriminationDiscrimination is any unwelcomeconduct, whether verbal, physical, orvisual, that is based upon a person’sprotected status, such as gender,sexual orientation, color, race, reli-
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gion, national origin, age, physical ormental disability or other protectedgroup status. It may include, forexample, jokes or comments aboutanother person’s protected status,kidding, teasing or practical jokesdirected at a person based on his orher protected status.
• Sexual harassment and othertypes of discrimination in the
work environment are strictly pro-hibited.
• Any employee having knowledgeor suspicion of sexual harass-ment or other types ofdiscrimination, whether or not asa victim, must report that knowl-edge to their supervisor or byusing the Ethics Helpline.
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Our franchisees are a vital part ofour company’s business. Theyare an integral part of our contin-
ued success. We continuously strive tobuild solid working processes with ourfranchisees. We are guided by our beliefthat a trustful and dependable associationrequires that we:
1. Be fair and honest with all of ourfranchisees;
2. Maintain open and frank communi-cations with our franchisees and torespond promptly to their concernsand interests;
3. Maintain the confidentiality of per-sonal and business financial
information from and about ourfranchisees;
4. Make objective assessments of theperformance of our franchisees;
5. Work with our franchisees to assureour continued mutual success, andto commit with them to do what is inthe best interests of the entire sys-tem;
6. Respect and vigorously enforce the“Six Month Rule” (as stated in theCorporate Policy Manual) regardingthe hiring of franchisee restaurantemployees by Jack in the Box Inc.-owned and operated restaurants.
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our franchisees trust us to…
…do what is best for the entire system.
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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PurposeWhenever you have a question aboutwhat the right thing might be in a particu-lar situation, try to talk with yoursupervisor first.Your supervisor may havefaced a similar situation in the past ormay know exactly what to do.
Sometimes, employees are not comfort-able discussing things with a supervisor,so the Ethics Helpline should be the nextstep. The Helpline is for any question,concern, complaint, problem or issue thatyou have. The Helpline also offers guid-ance to help make the best decisionamong several choices.
“TRUST” and the Ethics Helpline are inplace to make sure that problems do notget worse. If you are worried about a situ-ation that involves a co-worker orsupervisor, or just working conditions ingeneral, we really need to know.
Procedure• The Helpline is a toll free number:
1-888-613-JACK.
• The person calling will have toanswer a few questions, so theHelpline staff has as much informa-tion as possible to help you.
• If you do not want to identify yourself,that is okay. Helpline staff will takeyour information and give you a reportnumber and a time to call back so youcan get or give more information.
• The Helpline will be staffed duringregular business hours, but some-times problems do not keep regularoffice hours, so you can call any time.After regular hours, you may leave amessage or call back during normalbusiness hours. If you leave a mes-sage, you will be called back the nextbusiness day.
• Every issue that is reported by anemployee using the Ethics Helpline isinvestigated. Any refusal of anemployee to cooperate with an inter-nal investigation into ethical or legalviolations shall be subject to discipli-nary action, up to and includingtermination.
• “TRUST” prohibits retaliation againstany employee raising an issue ingood faith, even if it turns out youwere wrong in your belief.You will notbe penalized for raising an issue orquestion in goodfaith.
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u s i n g J a c k ’s e t h i c s h e l p l i n e
We act with integrity, honesty and respect.
Business Conduct Guidelines
2004—2005
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Sempra Energy’s Ethics Helpline
(800) 241-5689001-770-582-5249 International
Table of contents
Letter from Steve Baum
Expectations of employees
How to report an ethics concern
Employee-conduct standards:
Confidentiality
Conflicts of interest
Business gifts or courtesies
Discrimination and harassment
Violence in the workplace
Substance abuse
Company assets
Company records
Key compliance areas:
Affiliate-transaction rules
Antitrust
Environmental and safety
Equal employment opportunity
International business
Copyrights
Securities-trading activities
Political laws
References for more information and help
The contents of the guidelines are subject to revisions, as the many laws and regu-
lations under which the company operates may change. Please refer to the Index
of Corporate Policies, found by clicking “Conduct, Compliance, Policies” under the
SempraNet Contents section, for the most up-to-date policy. Also, each Sempra
Energy company may have more policies or more stringent standards of conduct
than those described in these guidelines. You may find those policies on those
Sempra Energy companies’ intranet sites.
Photo credits
Lonnie Duka Front cover
Ted Walton Back cover
Dear Fellow Employees:
Business ethics has become the defining business issue of our time.
Recent polls suggest that the public—both in North America and in
Europe—view business leaders as unethical and untrustworthy.
Every day, you and I have the
power to help change that
opinion. Because, at Sempra
Energy, what we value—
integrity, honesty and respect
for each other—defines how we
get things done. Our company’s
reputation depends on our
ability to maintain the achieve-
ment of those ideals and to
conduct ethical business. Ethical
business conduct is essential
to our continued success.
Sempra Energy conducts its business in compliance with international,
federal, state, and local laws and regulations. We do not compromise on
compliance with the law or our business-conduct standards while in the
pursuit of success. It’s that simple. We will not tolerate unethical behavior.
These Business Conduct Guidelines are our standards for maintaining
a legally compliant and ethical workplace. These standards apply to all
Sempra Energy employees, and compliance is a condition of your
employment.
These high standards will remain the same regardless of changes that
occur to the company and the environment in which it operates. Use
this booklet to make sure you know what’s expected of each of us
every day on the job.
Thank you very much for keeping both our results, and the ethical
standards we use to deliver them, high.
Sincerely,
Steve Baum
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Steve BaumChairman and Chief Executive Officer
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Expectations of employees
Sempra Energy’s Business Conduct Guidelines are our standards for
maintaining a legally compliant and ethical workplace.
The guidelines are based on these principles:
• The company conducts its business in compliance with international,
federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Employees are expected to conduct their business affairs in a lawful
manner. All conduct must conform to company compliance guide-
lines and policies.
• Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is
consistent with the company’s values and ethical standards.
The guidelines provide the information, support and resources to help
ensure that you act ethically and in compliance with the laws that affect
our business.
While the applicable laws may vary, the guidelines apply to all Sempra
Energy employees, wherever you are worldwide. Therefore, you are
responsible for adhering to our standards of conduct, as well as follow-
ing the laws, regulations and policies related to your specific job and
company location.
Keep in mind that these guidelines can’t possibly cover every situation
that might arise on your job. Also, each Sempra Energy company may
have more policies or more stringent standards of conduct than those
described in these guidelines. After reading and asking questions about
the guidelines, if you have any doubts about a situation in your work-
place, ask yourself:
• Is it legal and within company policy?
• Is it fair, honest, appropriate and consistent with company values?
• If I’m not sure, have I asked someone? Check with your supervisor.
If you’re still not comfortable, contact the company’s chief ethics offi-
cer, or call the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689 or 001-770-582-5249
for international calls.
Sempra Energy expects all employees to comply with all related company
policies, standards and legal requirements as summarized in these
guidelines. Make sure you’re sensitive to situations that could lead to
improper business conduct. Failure to adhere to the company’s standards
of conduct can result in disciplinary action up to and including termination
of employment.
The company requires you to complete required compliance training and to
acknowledge your understanding of and compliance with these standards each
year. This includes bringing to the attention of appropriate company contacts
any known or perceived unacceptable business conduct or illegal behavior.
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Promptly report any violation or possible violation of these policies to
your supervisor, to one of the contacts listed in these guidelines, to the
company’s chief ethics officer, or to the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689
or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
The Ethics Helpline allows you to anonymously report any form of
business conduct of a questionable nature. This service isn’t a substitute
for speaking with a supervisor, but it is an option for people who would
like help, but who prefer to remain anonymous. Someone will investigate
every issue reported to the Ethics Helpline and, if you ask for one, you
will get a response through the helpline.
No retributionIt is against company policy for any employee to retaliate, directly or
indirectly, against any employee who reports a violation. Urging some-
one else to retaliate is also a violation of our policy.
Every supervisor has a responsibility to create a work environment in
which employees can raise ethical and other concerns without fear of
retribution.
Any employee who believes retaliation has occurred should inform the
chief ethics officer at once.
Employee-conduct standards
This section of the guidelines summarizes the standards of conduct expected
of all employees. Many of the guidelines refer to specific company policies
that serve as the governing documents. You can find those detailed policies
by going to the Index of Corporate Policies on SempraNet, found by clicking
“Conduct, Compliance, Policies” under the SempraNet Contents section.
Also, each Sempra Energy company may have more policies or more
stringent standards of conduct than those described in these guidelines.
You should review your company’s intranet for more details.
QuestionsIf you have questions about these standards, discuss them with your super-
visor, your Human Resources representative or the chief ethics officer.
Confidentiality
Company informationInformation, like other corporate assets, must be properly managed to
ensure that it is:
• Used for authorized purposes.
• Accessed by those who have a business need.
• Adequately protected.
Any information that concerns Sempra Energy or its business that isn’t
generally available to others is confidential. The improper disclosure or
unauthorized use of confidential information could have a great impact
on the company’s competitive position.
All employees of Sempra Energy have an obligation to maintain the con-
fidentiality of company information. Confidential information includes,
but is not limited to, proprietary information, technical data, trade secrets,
continued on pg. 8
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customer information, planned new services and products, expansion and
capital-investment plans, or other nonpublic information of the company.
To help protect the company’s interests, you must follow these guidelines:
• Do not use confidential information for personal benefit or for the
benefit of others.
• Do not disclose confidential information to any other person, whether
a co-worker or outsider, except as required in the conduct of Sempra
Energy business.
• Do handle and store confidential documents appropriately to avoid
disclosure or loss. Do not leave confidential information on desks
where it might be seen by unauthorized people.
• Do dispose of documents that contain confidential or restricted infor-
mation with care—for instance, by shredding them or returning them
to the third party that provided them—to avoid disclosure by mistake.
• Do not discuss confidential information in any public place where
someone may overhear you.
• Do refer media, financial, regulatory or legal inquiries to the proper
group within the company.
• Do guard against disclosing confidential information by mistake in
talks with family members or friends.
Besides this general corporate policy on confidentiality, certain employees may
also have to sign confidentiality agreements depending upon their job duties.
Employee privacySempra Energy respects the privacy of every employee and only collects
and retains employee personal information that’s required for effective
operation of the company or that’s required by law. The company protects
and limits access to employee personal information and complies with
all applicable laws that govern employee privacy.
No employee should access, distribute or otherwise use employee records
or information unless authorized to do so for legitimate business needs
and in accordance with laws and regulations.
Information about othersJust as Sempra Energy closely guards its own confidential information,
you must respect the confidentiality rights of others. You may not
acquire confidential or proprietary information (including technology)
about other companies through improper means, such as deceit, misrep-
resentation or receipt of information illegally acquired by a third party,
nor any information from their present or former employees who are
legally prohibited from disclosing it. You must abide by the terms of any
valid nondisclosure agreement relating to confidential information of
which you come into possession.
Continuing obligationsBecause of the potentially sensitive nature of company documents, if you’re
terminated or you resign, you’re prohibited from taking or retaining
any documents that relate to your work at the company, unless you pro-
vide these documents to your supervisor and your Human Resources
representative for review and approval for retention.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Confidentiality, Fair Disclosure,
Information Management, and Media Relations Policies.
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You have the responsibility to safeguard the integrity of Sempra Energy’s
business decisions by ensuring that those decisions are made solely
on the basis of what is best for the company and are not improperly
influenced by personal interests.
Conflicts of interest arise in any situation where there is a potential for
divided loyalties between your personal interests and your obligations
to the company. While an activity that’s an actual conflict of interest is
never acceptable, you must also avoid activity that involves even the
appearance of such a conflict.
Also, you may not get around this policy by using other people to
do indirectly what you are prohibited from doing yourself. Pay special
attention to potential conflicts with respect to customers, suppliers and
competitors. A conflict of interest may arise if a family member works
for or has a major financial interest in a customer, supplier or competitor.
The company has no intention of interfering with your activities when
you’re not working. The company only has an interest if you conduct
yourself in such a way that damages the reputation of the company,
negatively affects your performance or creates conflicts of interest.
Before you engage directly or indirectly in any other business or gainful
employment, you must seek approval from your supervisor and your
Human Resources representative. They can assist you with ensuring
that outside activities don’t constitute a conflict with the company’s
business concerns.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Conflicts of Interest Policy.
Business gifts or courtesies
The company knows that it’s sometimes the custom for employees doing
business with others to provide or accept gifts, entertainment, meals or
similar business courtesies. The appropriateness of providing or accepting
business courtesies to strengthen business relationships depends on the
circumstances involved.
You should not accept or provide any business courtesy if it will compro-
mise or be perceived to compromise your ability to make a fair and
objective business decision.
Business courtesies may include such items as gifts; meals; drinks; edi-
bles (boxes of chocolates, fruit baskets); entertainment (including tickets
to sporting events); recreation (including golf course fees); door prizes;
raffles; honoraria; transportation; discounts; promotional items; and
accommodations.
Business gifts or courtesies to or from our customers, suppliers, govern-
ment officials or competitors can raise serious ethical and legal questions
that could greatly harm and embarrass you and the company. Therefore,
you need to use extreme caution when dealing with such matters.
For the most part, it’s OK to accept or provide a business gift or courtesy
if these criteria are met:
• It’s consistent with accepted business practices and of customary
value, as determined by local or industry practices (so no one could
construe it as excessive, or as a bribe or a kickback).
• Public disclosure wouldn’t reflect adversely on the company or the
people involved.
• Its acceptance or provision has been disclosed to your supervisor,
if you believe the gift or courtesy could be construed by others as
more than a mere token.
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• Your Sempra Energy company doesn’t have a policy or rule against
such activity. In some Sempra Energy companies, accepting gifts other
than low-cost food items or tokens of appreciation is not allowed.
Asking for a courtesy is not OK in any case. Neither is accepting cash or
cash equivalents. Also, you may not use your position with the company
to solicit vendors to provide preferential personal treatment.
Providing business gifts or courtesies to foreign or U.S. government officials,
their families or employees is covered by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
and by specific rules and regulations that differ from country to country,
state to state and even city to city. If you’re thinking about business or
social contact with such people, you should obtain advice in advance from
the Legislative Policy and Analysis section of the Governmental and Com-
munity Affairs department. Also see the following sections of the guide-
lines for more guidance about International Business and Political Laws.
If you’re unsure of the appropriateness of a business gift or courtesy, seek
guidance from your supervisor, your Human Resources representative or
the chief ethics officer.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Business Courtesies Policy.
Discrimination and harassment
You must treat co-workers, customers, suppliers and visitors with respect,
fairness and dignity, no matter their race, color, religion, national origin,
ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, medical condition
(including pregnancy), disability, service disability or veteran status. The
company won’t condone or tolerate any discriminatory behavior, including
sexual harassment.
If you become aware of possible discrimination or harassment taking
place at work, report it at once to your supervisor, the Office of Corporate
Diversity Affairs, the chief ethics officer, or the Ethics Helpline at
(800) 241-5689 or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
Any supervisor who becomes aware of possible discrimination or harass-
ment and fails to report it at once is subject to disciplinary action up to
and including termination of employment.
The Office of Corporate Diversity Affairs will promptly investigate all
reported incidents and take proper action.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Policies Against Discrimination
and Harassment.
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The company is committed to maintaining a safe work environment free
from the hazards of violence. To maintain a safe work environment, the
company will not tolerate any of the following in the workplace, or in
situations that may affect the workplace:
• Firearms, weapons, explosives or bullets;
• Threats or actions that create a hazard for employees and others;
• Violent physical contact or actions, violent verbal or written exchanges,
or threats of violence against employees or their families; or
• Harassment, stalking or any action that creates a real or perceived threat.
Every threat or perceived threat of violence will be taken seriously. Excuses
such as “I was joking” or “I didn’t really mean it” will not relieve the
offender of responsibility. You must not make threatening statements or
engage in threatening actions, whether or not you intend such statements
or actions to be threatening.
If you see a violent physical act that involves immediate danger, or think
such an act will take place, you must call local law-enforcement officials at
once through a local emergency phone number (in the United States at 911).
When it’s safe to do so, you must also make a follow-up call to Corporate
Security. Also, you must promptly report to Corporate Security any threats
or actions where you believe violence isn’t an immediate danger. If the
matter is not urgent, you can also use the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689
or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls to report or discuss concerns
about issues of violence. Corporate Security will investigate reports
promptly and take proper action.
It’s crucial that any supervisor who becomes aware of imminent or actu-
al violence must report it at once as set forth above. Failure to do so will
result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Any employee who engages in violent acts or conduct is subject to disci-
plinary action up to and including termination of employment. Besides
internal discipline, the company will cooperate with law-enforcement
officials in criminal prosecutions against offenders.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Security and Emergency
Preparedness, and Violence in the Workplace Policies.
Substance abuse
You must report to work able to perform duties safely and efficiently.
You’re subject to discipline up to and including termination, if:
• You report to work in an unfit condition due to use of drugs or alcohol.
• Your use of drugs or alcohol affects job performance.
• You use, possess or sell illegal drugs during working hours or on
company property.
In some Sempra Energy companies, any use of alcohol during working
hours (including lunch breaks) is not allowed. Check with your supervi-
sor or your Human Resources representative for your company’s policy.
The company’s drug and alcohol policy includes pre-employment and
reasonable-cause testing for all employees, as well as random and other
testing as required by government agencies for certain jobs.
The company offers access to the Employee Assistance Program, a
confidential program for any employee, including those with substance-
abuse problems.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Substance Abuse and Testing Policy.
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Company assets
You have a responsibility to protect the company’s assets and ensure
their efficient use. Theft, carelessness or waste have a direct impact on
the company’s profitability. Therefore, you must:
• Acquire assets in compliance with company policies.
• Use company property only for business purposes, and only for
legal and ethical activities.
• Safeguard assets from damage, waste, loss, misuse or theft.
• Dispose of assets only with proper approval.
Company assets, such as computers, telephones and cell phones, fax
machines and copy machines, are meant for company business. The
company allows limited personal use of these assets, as long as such use
is occasional, doesn’t result in excessive costs, doesn’t interfere with your
work duties, and complies with applicable laws, regulations and company
policies.
You may use other company assets, including such things as vehicles,
construction equipment and tools, only for company purposes.
The company’s corporate identity, logo and trademarks are also valuable
business assets that may get destroyed or diluted by improper use.
Sempra Energy, like any other company, must guard against fraudulent
activities in the handling of money, company assets, documents or other
areas covered in these guidelines. The company’s system of internal
business controls not only provides tools to help achieve Sempra
Energy’s desired business goals and objectives, it also helps curb fraudulent
activities by reducing the temptation and increasing the likelihood of
early detection.
Management is responsible for being alert for symptoms of such wrong-
doing and for continually assessing the need for and putting in place
proper controls to prevent fraud.
You have a responsibility, however, to understand and adhere to the
company’s internal business controls. These controls include these
guidelines, and all the associated policies and procedures in place to
help ensure a company culture of integrity, honesty and respect.
If you witness any incidents, misappropriations or improper use of
company property, or have concerns about the potential of fraud, report
them to your supervisor, Corporate Security, the chief ethics officer, or
the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689 or 001-770-582-5249 for interna-
tional calls.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Procurement, Corporate Approval
and Commitment, Telecommunications, and Use of the Company Name
and Logo for Co-Branding Policies.
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Company records
Financial-statement integrity and accuracy of the company’s books and recordsThe integrity of the company’s financial records is vital to the operation
of our business. These records are crucial to maintain the confidence and
trust of our employees, shareholders and other stakeholders. All transactions
must be properly recorded, classified and summarized in accordance with
Sempra Energy’s accounting policies, which ensure compliance with
generally accepted accounting principles, applicable laws and regulations.
Finance and accounting officers and personnel have a special fiduciary
responsibility to ensure that finance and accounting practices support the
full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure of the company’s
financial results and condition.
You’re responsible, however, for recording and reporting clear, accurate
and honest information on reports, expense reports, time sheets and other
documents. The company doesn’t tolerate concealment of information or
misrepresentation of a transaction. If you aren’t sure about the proper way
to record a transaction, contact your business unit’s accounting department
or the corporate controller.
If you feel you’re being asked to create a document or an electronic
record, or to record a transaction, in a less-than-honest and accurate
manner, you must report this at once to your supervisor, the corporate
controller, the chief ethics officer, or the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689
or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Internal Control Policy.
Employee business expensesWhen on company business, use good judgment; keep business expenses
reasonable and request reimbursement only for needed, business-related
expenses. You’re expected to comply with the company’s requirements
for incurring, reporting and supporting proper business expenses. Report
all expenses for your supervisor’s review promptly and accurately.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Employee Business Expense and
Corporate Travel Policies.
Retention of company recordsYou must follow the applicable policies of the company to protect and
maintain all documents and records that are required for the proper conduct
of its business, and the fulfillment of legal and contractual obligations. These
records include all documentary material, no matter the form (written, printed,
typed, magnetic or electronic), that is generated or received by the company
in connection with transacting its business, that is related to the company’s
legal obligations and that is to be retained for a specific period of time.
You are responsible for ensuring that all nonessential records are appro-
priately destroyed on a timely basis, and always being mindful of the
costs and risks of creating and maintaining unnecessary records in any
form. Also, you should avoid unnecessary duplication of records and you
should destroy all drafts leading to a final document.
You should review your files at least once a year to ensure that records
are being retained and destroyed in accordance with your business unit’s
retention schedule.
Due to the company’s reliance on electronic media, you should pay special
attention to programs and policies that cover electronic correspondence.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Records Management and
Retention, and Information Management Policies.
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Information protectionThe company’s technological infrastructure is meant to improve commu-
nication and information sharing by users. Because these systems are
for business purposes only, you can assume that they contain business-
critical information. Therefore, compliance with the company’s
Confidentiality and Information Management Policies is vital.
Company property, including lockers, desks, computers and access to
computers, e-mail, the Internet and voice mail, is provided for business
purposes.
As such, the company reserves the right to examine or search company
property and employee property that’s on company premises. This includes
accessing computer hard drives and other data-storage media, monitoring
and/or reading e-mail, monitoring Internet activity, listening to voice mail,
or other activities related to the capture and monitoring of electronic
communications. You should have no expectation of privacy for any per-
sonal property or equipment kept or maintained on company property.
You must not transmit or forward messages that contain immoral,
indecent, foul, or other objectionable content or language, nor access
or download material from improper Internet sites. Use good business
ethics, including company policies that cover discrimination and
harassment, as your guide.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Confidentiality, Information
Security, Internet-Intranet Acceptable Use, and CAN-SPAM Act of 2003
Compliance Policies.
Key compliance areas
This section of the guidelines sums up the key compliance areas that you
face. Many of the guidelines refer to specific company policies that serve
as the governing documents. You can find those detailed policies by
going to the Index of Corporate Policies on SempraNet, found by clicking
“Conduct, Compliance, Policies” under the SempraNet Contents section.
QuestionsIf you have questions about these or other compliance areas, discuss
them with your supervisor, the proper subject-matter expert within the
company or the chief ethics officer.
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Affiliate-transaction rules
It’s your responsibility to get to know the California Public Utilities
Commission’s (CPUC) affiliate-transaction rules, merger rules/remedial
measures, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) Order 2004
and the related compliance plans for Sempra Energy companies. All
transactions and relationships between and among the Sempra Energy
companies, including the parent company, are to be guided by and con-
ducted in accordance with these rules and measures.
Besides complying fully with the affiliate-transaction rules, remedial
measures and FERC standards of conduct, all employees, but especially
those performing shared-service functions, must take care to avoid
creating circumstances wherein they could become conduits to get
around the rules. The term “conduit” most often means doing indirectly
what the rules forbid being done directly.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company's affiliate compliance policies
on the Index of Corporate Policies on SempraNet, found by clicking
"Conduct, Compliance, Policies" under the SempraNet Contents section;
or call the Affiliate Compliance Hotline at (619) 696-2340.
Antitrust
The company and its employees comply with all federal and state antitrust
laws and similar laws in any nation in which the company does business.
The purpose of antitrust laws is to assure the preservation of a free and
competitive economy. To achieve this end, these laws, for the most part,
prohibit any agreement or combination among competitors that has the
effect of unreasonably restraining trade.
You must not take part in illegal, anticompetitive acts, which include
agreements to fix prices, manipulate or divide markets, limit production
or otherwise restrict competition. Some specific cases include:
• Talking with counterparts at competitors about what future prices
or levels of rates would be appropriate in the market (unless the
rates will get approved through a formal regulatory proceeding).
• Agreeing with competitors about which customers are “theirs” and
which customers are “ours.”
• Setting Sempra Energy’s prices below company costs to drive a
competitor out of the market, then raising prices once the competitor
is out of the market.
Regulated companies have limited exemptions from some antitrust laws.
Refer to the company’s Antitrust Compliance Policy.
If you become aware of a potential antitrust violation, talk to your super-
visor, the chief ethics officer, or call the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689
or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
If you’re unsure how the laws might apply, contact the general counsel’s
office in the Law department.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Antitrust Compliance Policy.
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Environmental and safety
Laws, regulations and reporting requirements related to employee and
public safety, and environmental protection affect nearly all aspects of
the company’s business.
The company strives to serve worldwide customer energy needs in a
manner that protects and conserves the environment and the health and
safety of its employees, its customers and the diverse communities in
which the company operates and provides service. The company strives
to comply at all times with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
It’s your responsibility to understand the environmental and safety
issues, and the laws, regulations, and company policies and procedures
that apply to your job. It’s also your personal responsibility to fully
comply with all applicable laws, regulations and procedures.
If you see a potential problem or violation, or have questions, talk to
your supervisor, either the corporate or your business unit’s environmen-
tal and safety department, the chief ethics officer, or call the Ethics
Helpline at (800) 241-5689 or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Environmental and Safety Policies
and Standards of Conduct.
Equal employment opportunity
Sempra Energy is committed to providing all employees with the same
opportunities for success, no matter their race, color, religion, national
origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, medical
condition (including pregnancy), disability, service disability, veteran
status or any other nonjob-related factor.
The company doesn’t tolerate behavior, comments, e-mail messages or other
conduct that creates an intimidating or offensive environment. Slurs based on
race, gender or religion, or any other conduct, remarks, jokes or pictures that
encourage or foster an offensive work environment, aren’t allowed and may
lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Discrimination and harassment are serious violations of state and federal
laws, and of company policy.
If you experience or see discrimination or harassment on the job, or if you’re
unsure whether someone’s behavior constitutes discrimination or harass-
ment, talk to your supervisor, the Office of Corporate Diversity Affairs,
the chief ethics officer, or call the Ethics Helpline at (800) 241-5689 or
001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Policies Against Discrimination
and Harassment, and its Workplace Diversity Policy.
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aInternational business
Foreign Corrupt Practices ActCompanies doing business outside the United States must comply with the
provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The FCPA prohibits
giving anything of value, such as payment, gift or bribe, to obtain the
influence of foreign officials, candidates or political parties. This prohibi-
tion extends to the official’s friends and family members. It’s a violation
to engage in any form of bribery, even if it’s a local practice or custom.
Any employee involved with foreign transactions or activities, including
joint ventures with foreign officials, or any employee who plans to retain
agents or consultants in other countries to assist with foreign transactions
or activities, must comply with the company’s guidelines on the FCPA.
You must discuss any proposal or investment that involves a foreign
partner with the general counsel’s office in the Law department before
engaging in any such transaction or activity.
For prospective transactions with foreign entities, agents or consultants,
it’s the company’s policy to undertake due diligence to assess their repu-
tations for honesty, integrity and high quality.
If you become aware of possible foreign transactions or activities that
appear outside the normal scope of business, or that appear unusual or
excessive, report them at once to your supervisor, the chief ethics officer,
the general counsel’s office in the Law department, or call the Ethics
Helpline at (800) 241-5689 or 001-770-582-5249 for international calls.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s guidelines on compliance with
the FCPA.
Export regulationsExtensive federal regulations apply to certain exports from the United
States (including delivery to foreign nationals in the United States) of
information, products or technology. These regulations describe which
products and technology someone may sell, disclose or otherwise
transfer to foreign countries or nationals.
You may not export certain commercial information, products or tech-
nology without prior written approval from the federal government.
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Antiboycott laws and trade embargoesFederal laws provide civil and criminal penalties, denial or suspension of
export privileges, and loss of tax benefits for companies that agree to comply
with a foreign country’s boycott of a country friendly to the United States.
The antiboycott laws also prohibit Sempra Energy from furnishing any inform-
ation that would further the boycott of countries friendly to the United States.
Sempra Energy is required to report any request for such information.
From time to time, the United States imposes embargoes on trade with
foreign countries. These embargoes mostly prohibit companies (some-
times including foreign subsidiaries) from engaging in any transactions
with the embargoed countries or their citizens.
QuestionsProper international conduct is a complex and changing matter. Fines
and criminal penalties may be imposed for violating these laws and
regulations. You should address any questions in this area to the general
counsel’s office in the Law department.
Copyrights
Creating unauthorized copies of copyrighted material may result in
violations subject to civil and/or criminal penalties. Although copyright
infringement most often involves the unauthorized copying of publica-
tions or other print media, it can also extend to unauthorized use of
photographs and graphic displays or designs.
As a rule, computer software is copyrighted, is sold subject to license
agreements and is almost universally restricted in its use. You may not
copy software or use it on a different computer unless the license
agreement so permits.
QuestionsDirect any questions in this area to the general counsel’s office in the
Law department.
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kaSecurities-trading activities
You are prohibited from buying or selling company stock while having
knowledge of material nonpublic information. These trades violate not
only company policy, but also insider-trading laws that impose both civil
and criminal penalties.
These laws also prohibit providing inside information to others to assist
them in their trading or transactions. The laws also prohibit making recom-
mendations to buy or sell while in possession of inside information. The
inside information need not be about your own company, but any company.
These trading prohibitions do not apply to ongoing purchases under
employee-savings or dividend-reinvestment plans. They do apply, however,
to increases in savings-plan contributions and transfers of savings-plan
investments into and out of company stock. They also apply to sales of
stock-option shares, including cashless exercises of options.
Also, employees who routinely have nonpublic information about quar-
terly financial results are prohibited by company policy from buying or
selling company stock during a quarterly blackout period. Employees
who are subject to this prohibition are so notified.
To avoid insider trading, you must know when information is “material”
and “nonpublic.” Information about a company is nonpublic if it has not
been broadly distributed to investors and is material if a reasonable
investor would consider it important in making an investment decision.
Also, as a matter of company policy, you’re prohibited from trading in
puts, calls, options, or other future rights to purchase or sell stock of
Sempra Energy, because of the speculative nature of such transactions.
Learn moreTo learn more, refer to the company’s Information Confidentiality and
Insider Trading Policy.
Political laws
ContributionsNo one in the company may coerce or bring undue pressure on an
employee to contribute to, support or oppose any political group,
candidate or ballot measure. The company contributes to candidates,
political parties and ballot measures only as permitted by law, which
imposes complex reporting requirements and limitations.
Therefore:
• You’re urged to support candidates and ballot measures of your choice;
however, using your work time and/or use of company facilities may
constitute a political contribution by the company. You must not
work on a political campaign or ballot-measure campaign during
working hours, or use the facilities or property of the company for
that purpose, without prior approval of your supervisor and your
Human Resources representative, and review by the Law department.
• You must coordinate all political contributions made on the company’s
behalf with the Legislative Policy and Analysis section of the Govern-
mental and Community Affairs department at the Corporate Center to
ensure that contributions are properly reported and don’t exceed statu-
tory limits. Never use a personal check to give a political contribution
and then seek reimbursement from the company on your expense report.
• The company can’t make campaign contributions to candidates for
federal office. Sempra Energy’s Employees’ Political Action Committee
(SEEPAC), however, may contribute to candidates for federal office.
The SEEPAC Steering Committee must approve all such contributions.
• Gifts to government employees and/or public officials are subject
to strict yearly limitations, and may also require reporting and/or the
officials to disqualify themselves from voting on company matters.
You should obtain advice in advance from the Legislative Policy
and Analysis section of the Governmental and Community Affairs
department at the Corporate Center prior to giving any such gift.
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Lobbyist registration and reportingContacts with any local, state, or federal elected or appointed officials;
state or federal regulatory officials; or any other high-level federal, state
or local employees; may require you to register as a lobbyist and file
reports. Prior to such contacts, you must contact the Legislative Policy
and Analysis section of the Governmental and Community Affairs
department at the Corporate Center to find out if registration and
reporting are required.
Revolving-door lawsFormer government employees and officials who become employees of
private companies may become subject to “revolving-door” restrictions as
to the matters on which they may work. If you’re thinking about hiring
former government employees or officials, you should obtain advice in
advance from the Legislative Policy and Analysis section of the Govern-
mental and Community Affairs department at the Corporate Center to
ensure that the person’s ability to act on behalf of the company isn’t limited.
Special nature of federal-government businessThe laws and regulations that govern contracting with the federal gov-
ernment impose different and far more extensive requirements than
those with other customers. Violating government requirements could
subject the company to damaging litigation, a reduction of negotiated
contract prices or a prohibition from bidding for future contracts. If you’re
involved, you could become subject to civil or criminal prosecution, with
possible fines and prison sentences. You must comply with all laws and
regulations in transactions with the government.
QuestionsIf you have questions about government contracts you should seek
advice from the general counsel’s office in the Law department.
References for more information and help
Besides your supervisor, you can use these references to help answer
your questions about the company’s Business Conduct Guidelines:
• “Employee Conduct and Compliance,” found by clicking “Conduct,
Compliance, Policies” under the SempraNet Contents section.
• “Index of Corporate Policies,” found by clicking “Conduct,
Compliance, Policies” under the SempraNet Contents section.
• “Index of Utility Policies” page on UtiliNet (for employees of the
Sempra Energy utilities).
• “Policies & Guidelines” section of the GlobalNet home page (for
employees of Sempra Energy Global Enterprises).
• “Compliance Training,” found by clicking “Conduct, Compliance,
Policies” under the SempraNet Contents section.
• Chief ethics officer at (619) 696-4537 or Ethics@sempra.com.
Other referenced subject-matter experts:
• Affiliate Compliance at (619) 696-2340.
• Chief Compliance Officer at (619) 696-4989.
• Corporate Controller at (619) 696-4888.
• Corporate Environmental and Safety Compliance at (619) 696-2476.
• Corporate Security at (619) 696-2030 (San Diego) or (213) 244-2933
(Los Angeles).
• General Counsel’s Office in the Law Department at (619) 696-4641.
• Human Resources:
• Corporate Center at (619) 696-2486,
• The Sempra Energy utilities at (213) 244-3639,
• Sempra Energy Global Enterprises at (619) 696-2399 or
• Sempra Energy Trading at (203) 355-5510.
• Legislative Policy and Analysis section of the Governmental and
Community Affairs department at (619) 696-2320.
• Office of Corporate Diversity Affairs at (619) 696-4144.
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COMPLIANCE TRAINING - FIVE YEAR PLAN - SAMPLE
Web-Based Training
Le
ad
ers
hip
Te
am
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Course Description
Business Conduct
Guidelines
x x x x x x x Overviews Company's policies and ethical standards. Employees must acknowledge their
understanding of and compliance with these guidelines annually.
FCPA x x x x x Overviews the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). This training covers implementation of both law
and Company's Corporate Policies.
Affiliate Compliance - State
State
x x x x x Defines Affiliate Compliance at the state level, outlines the associated rules, and provides practice
applying the California Public Utilities Commission rules.
Affiliate Compliance -
Federal
x x x x x Helps employees better understand the FERC's Order No. 2004 (Standards of Conduct for
Transmission Providers) and Codes of Conduct for energy marketing affiliates.
Antitrust x x x x x Introduces the major areas of Antitrust Law and explains how the laws affect employees in their day-to-
day contact with customers and competitors.
Insider Trading x x x x x Overviews "Insider Trading" Rules, company policy and the law.
Environmental &
Safety
x x x x x x x Overview of Company's Environmental & Safety Guidelines. Increases employees awareness of their
personal responsibilities and liability with regard to Environmental & Safety compliance.
Company Records -
Info Protection
x x x x x x Overviews employee's responsibilities regarding records & information management. Covers the
definition, classification, retention, storage and disposal of Company records, and addresses both the
law and Company's Policies.
Internal Controls
(SOX)
x x x x x x Overviews employee's internal control responsibilities and new SEC and NYSE requirements from
Sarbanes-Oxley and other new regulations.
Legal Aspects of
Supervision:
This series of 6 modules helps supervisors understand their responsibilities to ensure that their
employees, comply with employment laws, regulations, and rules.
Family Medical Leave
Act (FMLA)
x x x x x Covers 1) implementation of law and Company policies, 2) effectively managing employee
performance/behavior, 3) minimizing the Company's exposure to legal liability.
Disabilities in the
Workplace (ADA)
x x x x x Helps determine when employees are working with people protected by the ADA Act, and how to ensure
that they receive appropriate treatment.
Preventing
Workplace Violence
x x x x x Explains some of the myths/realities of workplace violence, shows how to identify the warning signs, and
explains how to deal with and prevent violence in your workplace.
Preventing Workplace
Harassment
x x x x x Covers 1) implementation of the relevant law and Company policies, 2) effectively managing employee
performance/behavior, 3) minimizing the Company's exposure to legal liability.
Affirmation Action
Fundamentals
x x x x x Describes Company's affirmative action policies and relevant laws.
Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA) Topics
x x x x x Covers wage and hour rules, Company policy and the law.
(a) optional and not tracked (b) optional (c) as required by position
Participants Frequency Content/D
esign
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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2005 Compliance Web-Based Training Calendar - SAMPLE
Course Description
All
Sele
cte
d
FCPA x
Preventing Violence in
the Workplace
x
Sexual Harassment x
Antitrust x
Affiliate Compliance x
Environmental &
Safety
x
Records Management x
Business Conduct
Guidelines
x
Blue - Selected Employees
Green - All Employees
Employees
January February March April May June July August
August
JanuarySeptember October November December
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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SAMPLE CORPORATE COMPLIANCE AND ETHICS PLAN
[Company] and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively the "Company") conduct its
business in compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations that are applicable
to their activities. International subsidiaries conduct their businesses in compliance with
applicable laws and regulations in each country where they are located.
Employees are expected to conduct their business affairs in a lawful manner. Conduct must
conform to company compliance guidelines and policies, and in a manner that is consistent
with the company’s values and ethical standards. This Compliance Plan provides the
framework for the on-going efforts of the Company to maintain a business environment that
requires business conduct that achieves these goals at all levels within the organization.
This plan, reviewed and adopted by the Senior Management team, is designed,
implemented and enforced to be effective in establishing and maintaining a culture and
environment that encourages ethical conduct. This includes a commitment to compliance
with the law as fundamental tenets to preventing, detecting and penalizing criminal conduct
consistent with current standards set forth in the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The Compliance Plan covers the following areas:
1. Compliance Oversight
2. Delegation of Authority
3. General Corporate Risk Areas
4. Written Policies
5. Communication and Education
6. Monitoring and Auditing
7. Enforcement
8. Detected Offenses
1. Compliance Oversight
A. Chief Compliance Officer
“The Chief Compliance Officer for the Company shall be the Vice President and
Chief Compliance Officer reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer. The
Chief Compliance Officer shall be responsible for the Company’s implementation
of the Corporate Compliance and Ethics Plan focusing on the direction and
execution of compliance responsibilities. The Chief Compliance Officer will also
have dotted-line reporting responsibility to the Corporate Compliance Committee
and report regularly to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.”
B. Corporate Compliance Committee
The General Counsel shall chair, and the Chief Compliance Officer shall vice chair, a
Corporate Compliance Committee that will report regularly to the Chief Executive and Chief
Operating Officers and to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors. The purpose of the
Committee is to direct and oversee the Company’s compliance with the laws and regulations
governing its business activities. Its responsibility is to meet periodically and review the
effectiveness of the companies’ compliance and ethics programs as administered by the
responsible parties. The Committee will include at a minimum, the following members:
• Executive Vice President, General Counsel - Chair
• Chief Compliance Officer - Vice Chair
• Chief Ethics Officer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Corporate Controller
• Vice President Audit Services
• Chief Operating Officer – Unregulated Subsidiaries
• Chief Operating Officer – Regulated Subsidiaries
• Chief Financial Officer - Unregulated Subsidiaries
• Chief Financial Officer - Regulated Subsidiaries
• Chief Environmental Officer - Unregulated Subsidiaries
• Chief Environmental Officer - Regulated Subsidiaries
• President – Selected Subsidiary(ies)
The General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and the Corporate Compliance Committee
will oversee and monitor the Company’s compliance and ethics programs. This includes:
• identifying areas of risk
• oversight of communication of corporate values and ethics and oversight of training
programs which focus on the elements of the compliance program
• oversight of internal compliance reviews, an anonymous helpline, and other
monitoring and reporting activities
• review of independent investigations, audits, and enforcement of matters related to
the compliance and ethics programs
C. Corporate Compliance Division
The Corporate Compliance Division shall report to the Chief Compliance Officer. The Division
will be responsible for identifying areas of risk and ensuring the integrity of environmental
and safety compliance and business conduct programs. The Division reflects the company’s
ongoing commitment to compliance with both the letter and spirit of the law and monitors
risk consistent with leading corporate governance practices.
Responsible Parties: Executive Vice President and General Counsel; Chief Compliance Officer
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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2. Delegation of Authority
All levels of employees, including officers and senior management, are subject to the
corporate compliance and ethics programs.
No employee with a known history of illegal behavior will be put in a material decision
making position that could implicate the Company. No employee of the Company shall
delegate substantial discretionary company authority to any individual who is known to have
a propensity to engage in illegal activities.
Responsible Party: Chief Ethics Officer.
3. General Corporate Risk Areas
Each of the following areas shall have developed policies and procedures identifying areas of
risk based on Company activities and business plans, compliance training in order to
prevent and detect any improper activities, and written policies for any associated possible
discipline.
• Affiliate Compliance
• Antitrust
• Employee Benefits
• Employee Discrimination/Harassment/Equal Employment
• Environmental and Safety
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• Financial Reporting
• Political Activities/Lobbying/Political Contributions
• Records Management
• Energy Risk Management
• Securities Laws
Responsible Party: The Chief Compliance Officer shall be responsible for updating and
maintaining current the risk categories listed above.
4. Written Policies
The Chief Executive Officer will establish the Company’s values and these will be
communicated in writing to employees.
Annually the Company will issue employee guidelines which provide general guidance on
legal and ethical compliance standards for employees of the Company. Each employee will
be asked to follow the guidelines.
The guidelines are based on the following fundamental ideas:
• The Company conducts its business in compliance with international, federal, state,
and local laws and regulations.
• Honesty, integrity, and respect are and will be key tenets in the conduct of company
business.
• Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner which assures that
customers and fellow employees are treated with respect, fairness and dignity,
regardless of their race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, disability or sexual
orientation.
• Each employee is expected to conduct his or her business affairs in a lawful manner.
Conduct must conform to Company compliance guidelines and policies.
• Conduct undertaken by any officer, employee, or agent that violates laws and/or
regulations will not be tolerated or condoned, and will be cause for discipline up to
and including termination as well as possible referral to the authorities for criminal or
civil prosecution.
• These high standards will remain the same regardless of changes that occur to the
Company and the environment in which it operates.
• Policies and appropriate procedures for each area of risk will be developed and
sponsored by the applicable internal department or work group. Corporate-wide
policies will be reviewed by the Corporate Compliance Committee and maintained by the Corporate Compliance Division.
• Policies will be reviewed periodically with the intent to constantly improve compliance
and business activities.
Responsible Party: The Chief Compliance Officer will distribute the employee guidelines,
administer acknowledgements, and maintain corporate-wide policies.
5. Communication and Education
The values and requirements of the Company compliance and ethics programs will be
regularly communicated to the Company Board of Directors and to all employees through
appropriate programs.
Employees will be provided annually with employee business conduct guidelines, and given
legal and field training necessary for them to comply with compliance requirements
considering their level and specific job description.
Training will be done at the time of hiring as well as regularly scheduled as appropriate.
Training will be designed to detect areas of potential exposure and prevent any activity not
consistent with the Company guidelines.
The Corporate Compliance Division will keep records of employee training and compliance
with guidelines.
Training will include multiple medias including on-line training.
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Responsible Party: The Corporate Compliance Officer will develop and maintain corporate-
wide training in coordination with the various subject matter experts throughout the
company responsible for the applicable compliance area.
6. Monitoring and Auditing
The Company will maintain both an anonymous helpline and a direct e-mail site to the Chief
Compliance and Chief Ethics Officers to allow employees to report on any inappropriate
activity without fear of reprisals.
Internal audit will set up and implement a regular auditing and monitoring schedule for the
parent company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, including on-site visits and spot checks
as appropriate.
Responsible Party: The Chief Compliance Officer shall manage the anonymous helpline and
other reporting channels. In collaboration with the Law Department, Vice President- Audit,
and the Chief Ethics Officer, the Chief Compliance Officer shall coordinate delegation of
appropriate investigations and/or responses to issues raised. Vice President Audit Services
shall be responsible for audits and reporting to the Corporate Compliance Committee and
the Chief Ethics Officer shall be responsible for handling employee misconduct issues.
7. Enforcement
The Company is dedicated to effective implementation of its Business Conduct Guidelines.
New and existing employees are informed of the Company’s standards through the Business
Conduct Guidelines or other Company communications.
The Company will consistently enforce its policies through rewarding compliance and
penalties for non-compliance. Performance evaluations will include compliance criteria.
Non-compliance will result in discipline on a consistent basis.
The disciplinary measures which may be invoked include, but are not limited to, counseling,
oral or written reprimands, warnings, probation or suspension without pay, demotions,
reductions in salary, termination of employment, and restitution.
Persons subject to disciplinary measures shall include, in addition to the violator, others
involved in the wrongdoing such as (i) persons who fail to use reasonable care to detect a
violation, (ii) persons who if requested to divulge information withhold material information
regarding a violation, and (iii) supervisors who approve or condone the violations or attempt
to retaliate against employees or agents for reporting violations or violators.
Responsible Party: Chief Ethics Officer.
8. Detected Offenses
Once a potential offense has been identified, the Company as directed or managed by its
Law Department will conduct an appropriate investigation. The investigation will evaluate
information as to credibility and gravity and will initiate an informal inquiry or formal
investigation.
In the event that an investigation indicates there has been criminal wrongdoing the
Company shall report violations and cooperate with any appropriate legal process.
The Company shall review and revise its internal controls related to any such area in order
to prevent any future occurrences.
Responsible Party: Executive Vice President and General Counsel.
ACC's 2005 ANNUAL MEETING USING COMPLIANCE FOR A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
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In addition, the Cordant Technologies corporate headquarters serves a sixth group of stakeholders: all of the business units that make up the Company.
Material Type: Sample Forms & PoliciesTitle: Cordant Technolgies: Code of Ethics and Standards of Business ConductSource: Cordant Technologies
Cordant Technolgies: Code of Ethics and Standards of Business ConductIntro Letter from COB and CEO
Dear Fellow Corporate Office Employee:
Cordant Technologies and its operating business units are dedicated to achieving our business objectives and, at the same time, doing so in accordance with the high ethical standards we have set in our Code of Ethics. Often, good common sense is all we need to act in an ethical manner. However, in some situations, more guidance may be needed and that is the purpose of our Standards of Business Conduct.
You may find it helpful to view the Code's and the Standards' underlying values in the context of the stakeholders Cordant Technologies serves:
our customersour shareholdersour fellow employeesour suppliersthe communities in which we live and work
Please read this booklet carefully, and then sign and return the enclosed acknowledgement card. If there is anything in our Code of Ethics or Standards of Business Conduct that is unclear, ask for help from one of the sources listed in this booklet. If you ever become aware of a violation of our Code or Standards, our Board of Directors and I expect you to report that violation to appropriate Company management. If you prefer to make an anonymous report, the Hotline may be used for that purpose.
We expect the Code and Standards to be followed by you and your fellow employees in all our business dealings. Our dedication to high ethical standards in the work place is absolutely essential to our continued success.
James R. WilsonChairman of the Boardand Chief Executive Officer
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